In A Moment
by Briar Elwood
Summary: Kind of a journal of Daniel’s of our favorite DV moments starting with Avalon Part II. Will be little A:Ns from me explaining my experiences with every scene. Will possibly be updated as the Stargate: SG-1 "saga" continues.
1. Avalon Part II

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

Summary: Kind of a journal of Daniel's of our favorite DV moments starting with Avalon Part II. Will be little A/Ns from me explaining my experiences with every scene.

Disclaimer: (sighs) If I owned, I wouldn't be here. You know that.

A/N: When I saw this part of the episode, oh so long ago, afterwards I turned to my mother and said, "Daniel _likes_ her" and gained a very incredulous look. Over time, and with the help of Unending, I've managed to soften her more to that idea. But, at the time, I had never heard of anything like fanfiction so for a while I thought I might be crazy. But I still liked the idea. A lot.

Oh, also, I usually don't like Hillary Duff. But the lyrics of "Fly" fit really well so…

_In a moment _

_Everything can change_

_-Hillary Duff, Fly_

Quickly I pushed through the villagers, muttering apologies as I jostled them in my quest to reach the center.

"…battle of ages. He spoke to the sky and said: 'And the people shall deliver unto you the wicked for your divine judgment, where their sins shall be weighed in the balance of all that is just and true.'"

I frowned confusedly at the Administrator for a second before hearing another voice coming from the opposite direction.

"Let _go_ of me! Get your hands _off_ me!"

For some reason, I didn't think this was a new experience for her. The men who had a hold of her dragged her through the crowd and to the strange stone circle surrounded by all of us.

"Daniel!" she cried, catching sight of me.

"What happened?" I demanded. The villagers restraining Vala forced her to her knees and shackled her wrists to the low bench in the middle of the circle.

"It didn't go so well."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Yeah, I can see that." I pushed past the few men in front of me to try to help her. "Excuse me." However, the men grabbed my arms and shoulders. Surprised, I struggled, like Vala just had. Obviously Harrid wasn't as strong as I because my struggling did absolutely no good.

"Harrid, stand back," the Administrator instructed, his voice annoyingly stoic. "Sallis has been overcome."

Despite Harrid's lack of muscle, I continued to fight against the villagers' hold. "No, she hasn't. If you'll just let me explain—"

The Administrator kept his gaze on Vala, ignoring me. _Now_ I was getting edgy.

"Listen to me!"

My efforts were useless: the villagers pulled me farther away from the Administrator, the stone formation…Vala…

"Fear not," the Administrator told everyone, looking pointedly at Vala who wore a tentative expression, "for the Ori see all, outside and within. If your heart is pure and your devotion unwavering, they will protect you. They will cleanse your being, and you'll be taken to be with them forever."

I caught Vala rolling her eyes, noting she didn't seem to be much into religion (not that that surprised me). However, I recognized what he _wasn't_ saying…even _if_ the 'Ori' saw pureness and whatever in her, which wasn't likely, she was going to die. Somehow. My question of how was answered by the Administrator's continuation.

"If not, may the fire burn you down to the ground and lay you in the dust."

Vala's cocky confidence disappeared and her eyes widened in shock.

"Fire?"

_Oh crap._

The Administrator nodded at one of the citizens and the man dipped the lit torch in his hand into a bucket, the liquid inside bursting into flame.

"Hallowed are the Ori."

My eyes flicked back and forth between Vala, who actually looked scared, and the bucket, which was being tilted down to a stone channel, the flames quickly licking their way around the circular maze encompassing Vala. My efforts to break free renewed with more desperation.

"What the hell did you say?" I exclaimed, starting to panic. Vala glanced at me before turning her distressed gaze back to the fire rushing closer towards her.

"I think at first it's what I _didn't_ say," she explained, voice fast and frightened. "You see, apparently there's a blessing you're supposed to recite over the leaves before you drink, which nobody warned me about. Then I think it's what I _did_ say. I was trying to _politely_ explain what was going on and then his" (she nodded at the Administrator who barely even twitched an eyebrow) "wife started screaming and accusing me of being overcome. At which point I believe I suggested she might want to think about procreation…"

I raised an eyebrow.

"…with herself."

A string of colorful, multi-lingual curses ran through my head. "Oh! Oh!" These people would not just _let go_ would they? "Listen! Please! Listen to me! You have to believe me! This is not what it looks like." My mouth was talking _way_ before my mind was thinking. My soul purpose was to get the Administrator to listen, to hear me and believe me and, ultimately, to save Vala's life.

"Sallis is not possessed, okay? Now this is going to crazy…" I made a cuckoo motion with a restrained hand, not even realizing they wouldn't get it. "Whoo-hoo! But we're from another galaxy. That's right, we're using communication technology that allows us to take over a body from very far away…and-and-and make us talk to you! We just want to _talk_ to you!"

I could feel the citizens' nervousness but didn't really process it. My eyes were fixed on the Administrator who merely stared at me for a few seconds before turning his attention back to Vala. The fire was at the center of the circle now and Vala's skirt suddenly caught the flames.

"Daniel!" she yelled, voice terrified, wriggling as to back away from the flames licking her like an unfriendly dog. Despair started to leaden my stomach as I continued to struggle fiercely.

"Okay, listen to me!" I barked, fear for Vala directing my every move. "_Listen_ to me! You have to believe me! You're killing an innocent person!" Okay, so, that wasn't entirely true, but there was nothing she had done to make her deserve to be burned alive!

"Daniel!" Vala cried, the fire surely charring flesh by now.

"Blessed are those that deliver us from evil," the Administrator recited, voice irritatingly calm and impassive. My fear momentarily morphed to anger and I struggled to reach him.

Then a horrid, pain-filled and terrified scream rang through the air and my head whipped around to see Vala almost completely engulfed in flame.

"No!" I bellowed, pushing all of Harrid's strength against the men restraining me though I knew it'd do no good by now. "NO!"

I could barely see her, an erect figure, immolated by the fire, screaming bone-chilling screams. An over-whelming feel of despair came over me and I fell limp, turning away as I was too unnerved to bear the sight. After her screams diminished, I chanced a glance only to see her body to still be burning. I heard an unnatural gust of wind blow by and, soon after, the villagers let go of their hold on me. My mind numbed and not really caring why I had been released, I treaded closer to Vala's charred corpse (I never realized how much I hated that word until then). I sank to my knees in despair, only the briefest thought registering that, because of the bracelets, _I_ was going to die soon. The vast majority of my thoughts were focused on this horror in my arms, this hand that had been so lovely, so smooth, so soft and was now black, coarse and ugly. It shook my core with more force than I would've thought.

It was then that I realized I had loved her.

A/N: Next chapter: The Powers That Be.

BTW--I LOVE REVIEWERS!


	2. The Ties That Bind

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: Okay, so I lied. This is actually from The Ties That Bind. Sorry.

_Open up the part of you _

_That wants to hide away_

_-Hillary Duff, "Fly"_

Suppressing a weary sigh, I walked into my quarters, more than ready to get out of uniform and into bed. However, I looked up to see Vala lying in my bed, the covers suspiciously pulled up to her chin. Oh great. I had decided by now it wouldn't be healthy to let my emotions be shown…so this could _not_ be good.

"Hello," Vala greeted off-handily.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, hiding myself behind anger. Vala gave me a falsely confused look.

"Isn't this my room?"

I bit back a scowl and gestured at the door.

"No, your room is across the hall with the guard in front of it."

"Ah yes, they do all rather look alike, don't they?" Vala asked. "Anyhow, since I'm here, shall we make the best of it?"

_Oh no_.

With a flourish, she threw back the covers to reveal herself in a red tank top and matching underwear. With the usual seductive grin, she placed her hands behind her head, posing.

My eyes flew wide, trying not to look at her hungrily. "No, we shalln't."

Vala moved forward to a crawling position. "Come on, Daniel. We're both stuck here on this base, and there's nothing else to do."

"Yes, there is!" I argued, slightly frightened to be caught like this. "There's—there's—there's sleeping, there's working, there's—there's finding a way out of this mess!" I exclaimed, mind still fixed on those cursed bracelets.

"What if we can't?" Vala asked. "We might have to spend the rest of our lives together."

A mix of pleasure and horror was a result of that idea. "No!" I yelled. "Don't even go there."

"There's literally a bond between us," Vala pointed out. "Some people might even find that romantic."

"I'm not one of those people," I told her firmly. At least, not in _this_ situation…

Vala moved to sit on the edge of the bed, feet resting on the bed frame. I kept my eyes firmly _off_ her legs.

"Am I really so repulsive?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"No!" I defended quickly. "Uh…no!" I could not _think_ with her looking at me like that…especially with her legs displayed so prominently. I turned to sit of the footboard of the bed, facing mostly away from her. "No you're not…repulsive, you're just…uh…" I searched my thoughts to find something to say that wouldn't incriminate me. "It's just that I know what you're doing with the whole sexual thing. It's a defense mechanism."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I continued, thrilled with myself for coming up with such an excuse. "You live a solitary existence, you move form place to place, you never form any lasting relationship, you use sex as a weapon to prevent yourself from forming any real emotional bonds." I counted off the items on my fingers and shrugged afterwards.

"Textbook case," Vala said, sounding disappointed. "Never realized I was so transparent."

I glanced over my shoulder to watch her get up and start to leave, looking hurt.

"Vala…" I muttered, my stomach twisting. Vala grabbed her bathrobe and slid it on, angry and hurt.

"No really, it's—its fine Daniel, you're right. I can see why you wouldn't want to become involved with someone so pathetic." (I winced.) "I wasn't always like this, you should know. There was someone once." (I was horrified at the pang of jealousy at that notion.) "In fact, I was engaged." (The pang sharpened.) "Then I was taken as a host and, even thought Tok'ra eventually freed me, the damage was already done. And once you have been spat on, and stoned by the people of your own village…Well, _you_ try forming lasting relationships."

She slipped on her shoes clumsily and grabbed the doorknob to leave. Feeling awful, I took a step forward, berating myself.

"Vala, wait," I pleaded. "Just wait. Please. Stop."

She stopped but kept her back to me. Pushing past the confused buzz in my mind, I spoke.

"All right, I'm sorry. Okay?" I said, trying not to sound as affected as I really was. "I'm sorry. I just…Sometimes I just…I forget what you've been through." Suddenly I stopped, remembering this was Vala I was talking to. "If you've actually been through any of that." I glared at her, feeling more hurt than I would let on. "Are you messing with me?"

"Is it working?" she asked through the corner of her lips. I boiled.

"Get out," I demanded, pointing at the door. "Go. Get out. Go."

Without any further argument, she left and shut the door behind her. I turned, looking around my room and pushing away the overwhelmed headache that was forming from the conflicting emotions in my heart.

A/N: I would like to apologize for taking so long, I've been on a Harry Potter buzz and have begun to write a Snape fic…but anywho. Hoped you liked this one…even though it was short.

Next: The Powers That Be.

I LOVE REVIEWERS!


	3. The Powers That Be

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

_Without the mask _

_Where will you hide?_

_Can't find yourself,_

_Lost in your lies_

_-Evanescence, "Everybody's Fool"_

"Time of death: fourteen hours, eighteen minutes after preliminary symptoms were first noted," Dr. Carolyn Lam recited, sounding annoyingly emotionless to my ears. I knew that was her job; she couldn't afford grief for every patient of hers that passed on but all the same…

One of her medical staff covered Azdak's face with his blanket and I watched as Vala approached from behind them.

"Remove the body, and prep for autopsy," Lam ordered. The man nodded and she and I moved away. Before turning my attention to Lam, I watched Vala, concerned, as she tapped the man's elbow.

"Can I have a minute with him first?" she asked softly, voice breaking. The man nodded and walked away to give her space. Vala fell to her knees and lifted the blanket to look at Azdak's body. I couldn't see her expression from my angle, but I could tell she _was_ affected. Her head turned away and she blinked rapidly.

"This is the first, not the last," Lam said, pulling me out of my musings. "I've gotta get back to Colonel Mitchell."

I didn't reply as my mind was still focused on the alien woman I now approached. I gazed at Azdak's body as I crouched down beside her before looking to Vala, realizing I was finding another piece of her puzzle.

"You did everything you could," I assured her quietly, her grief reaching out to my heart. With everyday I saw Vala was more than a slutty con…and that thought always pleased me.

Vala sniffled and nodded weakly. I watched her worriedly for a while until a half-panicked, half-relieved cry pierced my daze.

"He has returned! The Prior of the Ori has returned!"

I looked up to see the villager rush off and felt a surge of rage rush up inside of me at the Ori.

"You go ahead, Daniel," Vala said in a whisper. I stood and left; ready to give the Prior a piece of my mind for hurting these people so…and for hurting Vala.

A/N: Yeah, it's short. Sorry.

Next: The famed BEACHHEAD. Major one, isn't it?


	4. Beachhead

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: So at this point I was still kinda wondering if I was insane to consider the DV possibility. And then when he fainted…well, I totally had forgotten about the bracelets and was like "HA! PROOF!" until they cruelly shot that down in the next five minutes. Suckers. Anywho. I still kinda think he fell over a little too quickly, however…

Another thing. Have you ever realized how much more sense things Sam says make when their on paper?

_Reach for something when there's nothing left_

_And the world's feeling hollow_

_-Hillary Duff, "Fly"_

"Planetary collapse is speeding up exponentially. I estimate singularity formation is minutes away, and there will be a significant shock wave. Whatever we're going to do, we have to do it now." Sam's voice was steady but fast, revealing how urgent she was feeling. All of our eyes were fixed on Kellana as it shrunk rapidly.

"Sir, someone has just activated the ring transporter," Marks suddenly announced, sounding confused.

"What?" Pendergast demanded. I looked around quickly on impulse and my stomach dropped when I realized a certain black-haired thief was missing.

"Oh no."

"Hey, don't leave without me," her confident voice soon called over the radio after a few panicked heartbeats.

"Vala? Where the hell are you?" I demanded, hiding my worry behind annoyance.

"Oh, you care now?"

_Yes_!

"Vala!" I yelled angrily. I tended to get impatient around her, didn't I?

"I'm aboard the cloaked cargo ship that Gerak left behind to watch us," she replied, sounding occupied. I glanced at Mitchell.

"How did you find it?" I asked, surprised.

"Good guess," was the cheeky reply. I bit my tongue, shaking my head and rocking back on my heels in a familiar frustration.

"When controls are set a certain way, rings seek out the nearest set," she continued after a moment, "which happen to be aboard this cargo ship, cloaked or not "

A cargo ship flickered onto the monitors and it began to move.

"What are you doing?" I asked, accidentally letting my worry slip into my voice as I watched the blinking light known as Vala's cargo ship intently.

"Trying to help, Daniel," she said, voice sounding determined. "Someone had to do something, and you wouldn't listen." A bout of guilt clutched at my innards. "Actually, I got the idea from Colonel Carter. The objects are being held in some sort of energy field like links on a chain, and I intend to take the place of the last link."

Wait a minute. Wasn't that dangerous? Sam answered my question almost immediately.

"Vala, when that singularity forms, there will be a powerful shock wave. The cargo ship won't survive."

And the cargo ship included everything in it…like Vala. Oh crap.

"I'm counting on it," Vala replied. I did a double take. She was planning suicide?! "I'll ring back before it hits, and you can all thank me immensely."

Oh. This was for her personal gain. Made sense. Though part of me didn't really believe she was doing this for completely selfish reasons…

I sighed and stared at the ceiling, sending a silent prayer to whoever (hopefully not the Ori) was out there. Then I looked back to the spectacle in front of us, watching Vala's little ship as it steered directly towards one of the last openings in the Supergate, outpacing one of the oblong objects.

"Shields to maximum," Pendergast ordered tightly. Klaxons began to blare as Marks adjusted the controls. Sam glanced at her screen.

"She's running out of time," she muttered, sounding almost as worried as I felt.

Oh, thanks for the pick-me-up, Sam.

Finally, the cargo ship settled in between the ring sections and stopped. Blue lightning spread from the ship across neighboring sections and enveloped it. My stomach clenched unhappily. Where was Vala?

"It's working," Sam suddenly announced, sounding relieved. "She disrupted the energy field holding the objects in place."

Okay, so that was great and all, but…what about Vala? The strange blue lightning had been to travel farther through the ring.

"The singularity is forming," Sam said. Kellana was still shrinking and was soon gone entirely. A large energy wave burst from where the planet had been and reached the ring, blasting the sections and the cargo ship every which way. The crew cheered loudly, but the happy celebrations sounded dull to my ears.

"She did it!" Sam exclaimed. "The gate's been destroyed."

Finally, I could hold my fears back no longer. "Did Vala make it back on board?"

"Negative, sir," Marks replied grimly.

No! NO! No, she couldn't…she mustn't…she can't have…My mind and thoughts went haywire and I forced myself to simply sigh and show the slightest bit of upset. However, the turmoil inside of my heart and head seemed to be too much for my body and fell over backward, grabbing Pendergast's chair for balance. Mitchell hurried to my side.

"Jackson?!? Infirmary."

And the last thing that went through my head before I passed out was the briefest hope that Vala might still be alive.

A/N: Oh…what's the next one? Oh yes. Flesh and Blood.

I LOVE REVIEWERS!!!


	5. Counterstrike

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: So I lied. This isn't Flesh and Blood; I just couldn't find the muse to do that episode. This is Counterstrike.

By now, I had found the realm of fanfiction and knew I wasn't crazy. In the DV aspect, anyway. ;p I, like everyone else, loved this scene because Daniel finally tells Vala about Sha're…it needed to happen and I loved the way they did it.

_Can you trust this longing?_

_And take control_

_-Hillary Duff, "Fly"_

"Can I ask you a question?"

I frowned at Vala as we walked down the corridor of the Ori warship. "Just the fact that you have to ask me to ask me makes me think I should say no."

Of course she took that as a yes.

"Back on the Odyssey, you said you knew how I felt," she started. "What did you mean?"

I blanked momentarily. "What?"

"Well, with Adria," she added. "You said 'believe it or not I know how you feel.' What did you mean?"

Oh. I sighed and groaned a little. Somehow I had thought this topic would come up eventually. I stalled for a moment, looking into a room, my back to Vala so she wouldn't see my wince.

"Yeah. Um."

I looked at her briefly before turning back on the search. It'd been almost eight years, it shouldn't _be_ this hard. Of course, it was _Vala_…

"Ten years ago, my wife was taken host by a Goa'uld."

I could feel her stiffen with shock for a moment, and then she jogged to catch up with me.

"The framed picture, on the wall in your office, is that her?" she asked gently. Wow. Apparently Vala was more observant than I gave her credit for.

"Yeah," I replied stiffly. "Her name was Sha're. We'd been married for just over a year when she was…taken. I swore I would get her back." I still couldn't look at her. A stab of stale grief leadened my stomach.

"What happened?" Vala asked sympathetically. We stopped and I face her, forcing myself to hold her soft gaze.

Up until this point, the puzzle pieces had been for Vala's story, _me_ figuring out how she had become who she was. Now the roles were reversed and she was finding out _my_ story. It was only fair.

"Uh, I joined SG-1 and searched for her for over two years, but in the end I couldn't save her. For a long time I felt guilty that I'd failed her."

"And now?" Her tone was strangely reverent.

"Now I can at least draw comfort from the fact that she's no longer suffering at the hands of the Goa'uld. I guess in a small way, I feel relieved as well."

I couldn't bare it any longer. I turned and walked away uncomfortably, praying that Vala wouldn't think that, because of Sha're, I could love no other woman.

A/N: So…yeah. Next is Momento Mori .1 You see, I'm doing two chapters for Momento Mori seeing as that is such a big DV episode.

I LOVE REVIEWERS!!!!!


	6. Memento Mori  1

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: I loved loved loved loved this episode to death. I mean, we start out with them on a date (even though Daniel says it isn't) and…and…just the entire thing was so DV!!! Not to mention Cam losing his pants again was kinda amusing…

But anyway. This episode left no doubt in my mind that Daniel's in love with her. Not that I doubted it before, this was just, you know, more proof. I'd do the entire episode but that would take way too long so I've managed to find two scenes for me to do.

_Trust yourself and don't give up,_

_You know you better than anyone else_

_-Hillary Duff, "Fly"_

I plopped a book in front of Mitchell.

"…the Key to Infinite Treasure. Now, according to legend, it would allow he who possesses it entry to a vast storehouse of riches hidden away by the Ancients prior to their ascension."

Mitchell looked impressed. "Wow. That's big."

"Yeah, and by all indications nothing but an elaborate hoax," I replied.

"So they didn't find it?"

"No, but for some reason Qetesh wanted Athena to think she had. Athena believed her, which is why she went after Vala. And she used Ba'al's resources here on Earth to get her." Suddenly I realized: "Which reminds me, I'm supposed to check in with Major Harper."

I walked over to my desk and picked up the phone. "He's got people querying hospitals in the area where Vala disappeared," I explained. "It's possible that she may have been injured and has been unable to contact us." I put the phone to my ear, barely noticing that my hand was shaking as I reached out to dial.

"Hey, listen, I, um…" Mitchell said uncomfortably. "I spoke with the Medical Examiner's office. They're doing DNA testing on the remains recovered at the blast site. But it's gonna take a while."

I put the phone down, unable to keep the worry out of my expression. I understood it was necessary but did he really have to be so pessimistic?

"You know, when Vala first disappeared, when the Ori gate was destroyed, I refused to write her off," I admitted. Mitchell has the curtsey not to point out that that had been pretty obvious. "Although the odds were against it, I believed somehow she'd found a way to survive. And it turned out I was right. I wanna be right again." I _needed_ to be right again.

Mitchell nodded, expression sympathetic.

"Sure. I just figured you should know." The tone of his voice made it obvious he didn't share my optimism. On the other hand, _he_ was being realistic.

"Yeah," I mumbled. "Thank you."

_Vala, where _are_ you_?

A/N: Next is more Momento Mori!!!

I LOVE REVIEWERS!!!!!!


	7. Memento Mori 2

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: Like I said, LOVE this epi…and this part totally brought it home for me. I mean, the whole look Landry gave Daniel when he was protesting it hadn't been a date was classic, but this was awesome.

_And when you're down and feel alone_

_Just want to run away _

_-Hillary Duff, "Fly"_

With my zat raised, I stepped into the pathway, pleasantly surprised to see Vala running my direction…with a pistol aimed at my head. _That_ wasn't so pleasant.

"Get out of my way," she ordered. I shook my head. There was no way in heaven or hell that I was going to loose her right after finding her again.

"Get out of my way, or I _will_ shoot you," she insisted, a desperate edge in her voice. I hesitated, loosening my grip on the zat before realizing she _would_ actually hurt me if I didn't prove she could trust me. I let the zat fall to the floor and raised my hands defensively. There _still_ was no way I would let her leave, however.

"You don't remember who you are, but I do," I told her, making my voice as soothing as possible. "You won't shoot."

I hoped.

The sounds of the others fighting suddenly silenced and Vala glanced to where the noise had been, distracted. She recovered in seconds, re-aiming her gun at my chest.

"If I let you go, I know you're gonna make yourself disappear," I said, determined not to sound as thoroughly desperate as I felt. All I wanted to do was run over to her and envelope her in a hug, professing my feelings. But I had a strong suspicion she'd shoot me if I took a single step forward.

"You've been running so long it's almost second nature to you. You don't remember it, but you made a decision to stop running. It's over. Now it's time to come home." _Please._

I watched in fascination as Vala's eyes fluttered shut, an internal struggle showing in her face. Tears began to stream down her cheeks from under her eyelids and her lips quivered. Her eyes opened after a few moments and she met my gaze, taking a deep breath. The pistol shook in her grip and her lips twitched in an awkward smile.

"Daniel."

Still shaking, she lowered the weapon and I forced myself not to run to her, but walk. Keeping my eyes locked with hers, I took the gun and set it aside. I pulled her into a reassuring hug, reassuring not only Vala but also myself, that everything was all right, everything was going to okay…

The only reason a confession didn't slip from my lips at the moment was the fact that the rest of the team chose that time to show up in front of me.

A/N: Next chapter: The Shroud.

I LOVE REVIEWERS!!


	8. The Shroud

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: I was royally freaked out by Daniel during this entire episode. I'm sorry to admit that I still didn't 100 percent trust him even after the epi was done. I think was really set it off was 1) the whole thing w/ Adria and 2) when he threatened Woolsey. Jeez, he scared me. But I suppose…yeah.

I found this scene (and the Dan/Jack banter) highly hilarious…but as I wrote this chapter, I suddenly realized how out-of-character Vala was acting. (shrugs) I guess love does that to ya!!

_Can you hear it calling?_

_Can you feel it in your soul?_

_-Hilary Duff, "Fly"_

It was an interesting situation, to say the least. Here _I_ was, shackled to a chair and probably looking worse than Jack Frost, with…well, Vala sitting on my lap, legs swinging over one side. She looked very calm on the outside but I could tell her mind was reeling. I wasn't even positive she _trusted_ me!

"So…what the hell is going on?"

"This and that. You know, the usual. You'll never believe what's happening on One Life to Live."

Leave it Vala to care about soap operas at a time like this.

I nodded dismissively. "You know, I really hate to press the issue here, but I do have a deadline," I reminded her impatiently. She grimaced, averting her eyes.

"Oh, so do we," she murmured. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Oh, yes, I know. Before I figure out how to overcome the effects of the anti-Prior device, oooh." I glared. "I though Teal'c believed me!"

"Oh, he does."

Okay, now I was confused. Usually everyone agreed with the big guy. "Jack?"

"No, he's on your side too."

Thinking of more independent people…_Vala_? I peered at her.

"That…little weasel man who somehow…represents your government?"

Whoa. Who? Weasel man…and a politician…could be quite a few of them.

"Woolsey?" I asked with realization.

"I-I can't be certain, but…I think he might not like you."

Aw, crap.

"He wants to have me killed, doesn't he?" I could imagine how Jack was reacting to that.

"Well, I'm not sure how serious he is. He seems like quite the prankster to me," she said in a painfully bright tone.

"No, I was afraid of that," I told her thoughtfully. "He was the one who argued to keep Khalek alive and got burned for it."

"Khalek?"

"Oh, Anubis's highly evolved half-breed son. Two people died as a result. It could've been…much worse." And _that_ was an understatement.

"Now that you mention it, that seems to be in play," she said softly. She straightened suddenly, patting my arm. "But, not to worry. If it comes down to it, I have a plan." She hopped off my lap cheerily. However, it seemed to me she was trying to get away. Part of me ached at that thought, but really? Who could blame her?

But a plan? Of Vala's creation? However much I may love the woman…

"Oh, you have a plan. Great," I drawled. "What is it?"

She looked back to me, avoiding my shrewd gaze, her hands fidgeting for something to do.

"Well…when I said that I had a plan, I meant that I have…to plan…the plan."

Huh. This was strange. Vala _never_ stammered. It was kind of a package deal with a con, ex- or no.

"So when…or-or rather, if it comes down to it, I will have a plan. I've, um, cleared my whole afternoon…for the planning."

All right. Something definitely was up.

"You believe me, right?" I finally asked, not quite sure I wanted to know the answer. She gulped, eyes wide.

"Mm-hmm."

"Okay. Now I don't believe you." Which in itself was odd. Usually it took me a moment to realize she was lying through her teeth. I stared at her, trying to read her expression, to understand what was making her act so uncomfortable and out-of-character. She grabbed a stool and rolled it over to my side, sitting on it. She looked earnest now and, when she spoke, her voice was soft and serious. It was almost frightening.

"Imagine our positions were reversed. What would you do?"

I had a brief image of Vala as a Prior…I think I'd run to the other edge of the Universe.

"Hmm," I said pointedly.

"I know you've trusted me even when you've had every reason not to. But perhaps I'm the only one who knows how dangerous and powerful Adria is."

My gut twisted, the memory of Adria's kiss coming to mind. If only Vala knew…

"There's no evidence, only your word," she continued. "And that should be enough. But this is _so big_."

"Well, I wouldn't let them kill you," I bit, a little more than mildly offended.

"Of course not," Vala assured me, chuckling humorlessly. "I won't let that happen to you. But would you support me if what I was proposing could very well open the door to the final Ori victory? Not if there was the slightest chance that I wasn't on the level. Even if it was the tiniest, nagging doubt."

The logical, "Merlin" side of me could completely see her point and watched her pensively as she stood and left the room. But on the other hand, the irrational, sensitive nerd in me screamed out at her…did she have any idea how much that hurt?

A/N: Next: Dominion.

I LOVE REVIEWERS!!!


	9. Dominion

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: Okay, so the "memory" creeped me out. This scene? I liked. Daniel tenderness, yay!

Oh, and for The Shroud, I have a few DV oneshots if you want to check them out. There's also (so far) one Dominion DV oneshots. I've gotten to the point where I choose the scene I haven't already done!

_In a moment, everything can change,_

Feel the wind on your shoulder 

_-Hilary Duff, "Fly"_

Vala stretched and rubbed her neck as I quickly joined her. The memory of the time she had _thought_ Adria was gone was very vivid in my mind and I wanted nothing more but to comfort her.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," she replied casually. "Just didn't feel like sticking around for the surgery. You know, weak stomach and all that." She turned her head away. Why was it that women always insisted that everything was nothing?

"Hey!" My mask slipped and I reached out to touch her chin, turning her gaze back to mine. "You sure you're okay with this?" I asked softly. She punched my shoulder teasingly.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?"

I frowned. "Because she's your daughter. And no matter what she's done, it must be difficult to see her treated this way." And I would know.

Vala's light tone disappeared and she looked stern. "Let's get something clear," she said icily. "She's not my daughter, Daniel. The Ori impregnated me against my will and forced me to bring her into the galaxy. I was an incubator. A shipping crate. And-and nothing more."

The slightest stutter at the end made her true position clear. I stepped closer to her, conveying my sympathy in my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I find it hard to believe that you don't feel something."

"I do," she said stubbornly. "Satisfaction at seeing their plan fail."

When did Vala become so soft?

A/N: Next: Unending.


	10. Unending

In A Moment

Briar Elwood

A/N: So I'm not using THE DV scene. If you want that (though it's changed a bit) read my oneshot, Afraid. There are a few other DV Unending oneshots I've done as well.

There were very few things I didn't like about this epi, one of them being the fact the DV wasn't permanent.

Oh, and I change (take out) one word Daniel says. Sorry. Also, I'm using my own theory as of why Vala was crying in the scene during the montage.

_For a minute, all the world can wait,_

_Let go of your yesterday._

_-Hilary Duff, "Fly"_

It was dark, but we didn't need light for our love to be seen. We were alone, but it only made this single moment even more intimate. The past fifty years were just about to be erased from all memory save one, there was a strong possibility we all were going to die but it didn't matter. That's why we were here.

"I want you to know, even if you are gonna forget, that I wasn't with you all these years because we were trapped on this _awful_ ship. I was with you because—" _I love you. I love you now, forever, and always. From that moment the Prior brought you back to the time we lost our child. Something about you on Prometheus…I trusted you, though I didn't want to. And I can only pray that my younger self will realize what I've realized and just _**give in**_. These fifty years together have been exactly the life I've wanted. I couldn't ask for more. I have you._

"I know. And I want you to know that I—"

"I know. I know." _I know that you love me. I know you found me intriguing and fought against falling in love but gave in. I know that you waited, a little impatiently, waited for me to see. I know that we share tender memories that will cease to exist, but there are also those distinctive rare moments of before. I know you love me._

And our time was erased.

A/N: There might be Ark of the Truth and Continuum after they come out but for now, this'll be complete. Keep it on your alerts just in case, though!


End file.
